Gardaí who searched a Mayo pub at 3.30 a.m. after receiving an anonymous tip-off found nobody inside the pub.
However, on looking in the publican's attached private quarters, they found eight people, including two bar staff and the publican's daughter, stuffed together into the toilet.
At Kiltimagh District Court yesterday, Mr Tobias Kilkenny, proprietor of Kilkenny's pub, Carramore Knock, Co Mayo, told Judge Mary Devins it was just one of those "stupid things" and he wished to apologise for the eight so-called "found-ons".
"I know it sounds funny, eight people in a private bathroom, but there was no party or anything going on," he said.
Sgt Martin Byrne said that on November 20th last year, he and another garda searched the premises after receiving an anonymous phone call about after-hours trading.
They arrived at 3.30 a.m. could hear singing and a lot of noise from inside. They knocked at the front door and the noise stopped immediately. However, they were left waiting for about five minutes outside before the door was opened.
Eventually, they were let in by Mr Kilkenny. Sgt Byrne asked was there anyone else on the premises and Mr Kilkenny said there was nobody. Another garda standing at the back of the pub confirmed nobody had left the premises from the rear exit.
The gardaí continued to search the premises and eventually found eight people in a toilet cubicle in the private part of the premises.
Sgt Byrne said they did not manage to find them sooner as "they were very quiet initially".
Sgt Byrne asked Mr Kilkenny to explain the situation, but he could offer "no excuse or explanation".
Insp Tom Fitzmaurice noted that Mr Kilkenny had two previous convictions under the Intoxicating Liquor Act, one for the sale of alcohol to a person under-age in 2001 and one for after hours trading in 1998.
Ms Ann Heneghan, defending solicitor, said: "My client advises me he was giving a lift to some of the people and some were waiting for taxis. He doesn't normally deal in after-hours business. He normally runs a good house."
Mr Kilkenny told the judge that one of his bartenders had come back from Claremorris and was in a bad state with drink. "I was going to leave the eight people home but I couldn't then. I said I would leave him home. One of my daughters was in the toilet as well, yes. Unfortunately there was some shouting between the alcohol and everybody there because there were 20 cars outside, but there was nobody driving, as such.
My head barman and my barman and my daughter and I, the four of us, were not drinking and we could all drive. I know it seemed like we were all there but really we were just cleaning up for the following day. We were not doing any after-hours."
Judge Devins convicted Mr Kilkenny of after-hours trading and imposed a fine of €1,500. She also fined each of the found-ons €85 each.
Mr Pat Cunnane, Meeltraun, Knock, who made no appearance in court, was fined €120. All other charges were taken into account.